1 Corinthians 9:20

"To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews."

Again we see in Paul’s pattern of ministry how Jesus Christ acted to identify with man. Jesus not only took on human form, but actually became a member of one people group. He was born and grew up within the Jewish culture. God became a Jew in order to win the Jews. When Jesus commissioned His followers to disciple the non-Jewish nations, He also expected these disciples “to become all things to all men so that by all possible means (they) might save some” (9:22).

Lord Jesus, thank You for the example You gave us. Lead today’s missionaries into Your truth as they seek to identify with the peoples of the world.

Lu People of Vietnam, China, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar

For some reason, the minority peoples of Vietnam are mainly Animistic, not Buddhist, like the peoples of other countries in this region. One group, however, is different, and that is the Lu people. Even then, there is a liberal amount of Animism (traditional tribal religion) blended in with the Buddhism practiced by them.

The lines between Buddhism and Animism are faint throughout Southeast Asia. The Lu people may identify with being Buddhist, but on a day-to-day basis, they are more concerned with being at peace with the spirits than with following the ways of Gautama Buddha. A Lu couple will consult a fortuneteller to inspect their horoscopes before considering marriage.

The Lus live in Vietnam’s northwestern corner, bordering China and Laos. More of them live in China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos than do in Vietnam, where their population is still under 5,000, according to “The Peoples of Vietnam,” by Asian Minorities Outreach.

There are Lu believers in other countries, but very few in Vietnam, especially in the Lai Chau area. In Myanmar, there is a Lu language Bible, but the Lu people in Vietnam probably can’t read that dialect.